A Haven from War and Hatred
by adamantaspiringauthor16
Summary: When James takes Lily to Potter Manor for the first time she, unlike other girls, is not impressed. However, that changes when she enters the largest of the manor's three libraries and falls in love.


"I'm going to kill you. I mean it this time I'm really going to kill you," Lily yelled.

"You've been saying that since we were eleven, Evans, and you've never followed through. It's no longer a threat I take seriously."

"I'm going to hex your head off. No wait, perhaps I'll leave your head for last, start with the other limbs so you can watch."

"You're sexy when you're sadistic."

Lily shot him a look that would have made a Hungarian Horntail quiver.

"How dare you? How dare you take me HERE?"

"Lily, love, I really don't see what's so terrible about here. I've brought you to a nice home. Welcome to Potter Manor! It's complete with a drawing-room, three different parlors, two private offices, a dining hall, kitchens, ballroom, basement, three libraries, four different wings with private chambers, and I've actually forgotten the number of bathrooms, but I suppose that's not really important. There's a Quidditch pitch out back, a green house, stables, and servant's quarters. Bugger have I feel like I've forgotten something…oh well. Now tell me, what is wrong with this place?"

"You live here," she hissed.

"Well yeah, but only for a quarter or so of the year," James smirked as he leaned against the massive wrought iron gates. It was June, the trees and foliage were lush and vibrant. He'd made sure the flowers looked nice for this particular visit.

"YOU TOLD ME WE WERE GOING TO DINNER, AND YOU BROUGHT ME HERE, TO YOUR MANSION."

"Are you unimpressed? Is it not what I described?" he joked.

"Potter, you said it was 'large' so no it is not what you described."

"Well technically it is large…"

"Yeah I'm going to kill you." Lily had begun pacing, her flowered dress fluttering around her as she moved.

"Let's just go inside, yeah? I have something to show you."

"Fine," she grimaced.

James opened the massive gates with a brush of the palm of his hand. They moved inside, walking down the long path to the front door where Swinky, the house elf, greeted them.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Lily," she said as she shook the Swinky's hand.

"Oh Master James, Swinky likes Miss Lily very much," the elf said, blushing.

"I'm glad," he smiled.

"Is Master going to show Miss Lily the house or would Master like Swinky to show her? Swinky would be happy to do it!"

"I'll take her. Thanks though, Swink!"

James walked Lily through the foyer into Potter Manor's grand rooms. She oo'ed and ahh'ed appropriately, sometimes letting sarcasm seep through.

"And here's what I wanted to show you," James said as the couple came to stop at a large oak door, intricately carved and stained dark.

"It's a lovely door, really, James, but is this really necessary?"

"Close your eyes."

"Absolutely not!"

"Why?" James pouted.

"Because the last time you asked me to do that I ended up with purple hair and a frog glued to my head. Also, I hate surprises."

"Oh c'mon we didn't use real glue, and that was mostly Sirius' fault. It was supposed to be a bunny. He did the spell wrong!"

Lily laughed as she raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"This is a surprise you'll like I swear, but you have to close your eyes first."

"Why?"

"Because you just do okay. Now hurry up I'm growing old here."

Lily tugged on the ends of her dress nervously as she shut her eyes. She heard the hinges creak as James opened the door.

"I swear to every god if you are lying to me I will make you regret it."

"That's what I'm counting on," he whispered in her ear as he guided her into the room. "You can open your eyes."

Lily let out a practically inaudible gasp and stood wide-eyed and frozen in the center of the massive library. Book filled shelves lined the large circular room. It was so tall that someone had built a balcony halfway up the wall that spanned across the entire circumference and seemed to be made of gold. Matching spiral staircases lead up to the second level, giving the room a bit of a regal look. The mostly glass ceiling was dome-shaped, letting in sparkling light. Tables with ancient chairs of cherry wood and worn silk sofas were scattered throughout the room.

"It's...erm the largest and most impressive of the three. So does this make up for everything else?" James asked, chuckling at her expression.

"It's so beautiful."

"Well it's all right I guess. I can think of something more beautiful in this room though."

Lily rolled her eyes.

"What too cheesy?" He grinned lopsidedly.

"It's like Beauty and the Beast."

"Who and the what?"

"It's a fairytale," Lily explained.

"Ah well, makes sense. Maybe you can find it in here. We have pretty much everything I think. Go on, explore."

As soon as the words left his mouth Lily's feet were moving until she reached the nearest set of shelves. Trailing her fingers along the bindings, she let out a little cry. Each book was bound in exquisite, colorful leather. They seemed to glow in the light of the summer sun.

"You have a reader in the family," Lily said, thumbing through the pages of a large green book. "These are well taken care of, but clearly loved."

"My father spends more time in here than anywhere else in the house."

"Is he here? I'd love to see his copy of Proust…"

"Away on a mission I'm afraid, but you can meet mum later. I'll bring you back another time to meet dad of course."

"I'd like that…"

"James," she said, suddenly twisting to face him. "I don't think you should have showed me this."

"Why not?" He sounded concerned.

"Because I'm not leaving," she declared, sniffing the Potter's copy of _A Tale of Two Cities. _Little did she know how right she was. Soon she would spend many of her days and nights in that very library—a haven from war and hatred—in the coming months, losing herself in literature and dreaming of a better tomorrow.

That day she fell in love again, not only with the room, but with James.


End file.
